Welcome. Welcome to all of Graham's friends, Graham's family. None of us thought we would be here today. None of us want to be here for this occasion. Life has taught us a very difficult lesson, or should I say death has taught us a very difficult lesson. that our loved ones can be taken away from us at any time without warning. And that shatters a lot of our illusions about security in this life, the expectations that we have for tomorrow. And that can be very hard to deal with. But we are not left without a word from God today. on how to keep on living when someone we loved is taken from us very suddenly. And that's why we are gathered here to together say goodbye to Graham and to together hear from God about how to face the most severe trial that many of us have ever faced. and also to provide comfort to one another. As you look around and you see everyone who is gathered here, look at how rich you are. No one here can take the place that Graham was in our lives. And yet we are still very rich in love. Well, I have much more to say as the service goes along, but would you bow your heads with me for a word of prayer? Father, you are a God who is not distant. You are a God who is near at hand. You are a God who is not without compassion, but all compassion is found in you and comes from you. You are not a God in whom is any darkness. No evil dwells with you, and you are not the source of evil. But you are the source of life. You are the source of joy. You are the God who creates every human being and who gives us to one another. And so Lord God, while we have many questions without answers, we do thank you for the answers that you have given to us. And we tell you, Father, that we want to trust you We don't want to turn away in our hearts. We don't want to allow the tempter to come and harden us against you, to curse God and die as he tempted Job. Lord God, we want to bless you. We pray that you would give us strength and faith, take away our doubts, and give us the power to be able to bless you even when things like this happen. Father, use each one who is gathered here today. Fill us with love, fill us with compassion, fill us with grace. We don't know what to say. May you direct and guide us. We can't do anything apart from you, as Jesus Christ taught, but we are not left orphans and we are not without you. And where two or three are gathered in your name, there you are in our midst. And we are gathered here in the name of the Savior, the one who has died, the one who is risen, who is the resurrection and the life. And we know that he is with us. He stands among the golden lampstand, which represents his people. Father, please. Do the work of comfort that your Holy Spirit does, for we are in great need. Amen. Our scripture reading is by Rick Espen. Rick, where are you? Thank you. We're going to be reading selections from 1 Corinthians chapter 15, but also chapter 16, which contains some of Graham's favorite verses, as well as some selections that Rick himself has added. Let us hear the word of God. Please stand. Mary, Gemma, Joe, Miles, I want to address you specifically. The Lord God is in our midst. He is mighty to save. He will quiet us with his love and sing over us with thanksgiving. And I would remind you, brethren, In what terms I preach to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are saved, if you hold it fast, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as the first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scripture, that he was buried and he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scripture. Now if Christ is preached and raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there's no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God because we testified of God that he has raised Christ, whom he did not raise if this is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you're still in your sins. Then also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life we only have hoped in Christ, we are all men most to be pitied. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. The first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by man came death, by man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God, the Father, after destroying every rule and every authority and power, For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet, the last enemy to destroy is death. For God has put all things in subjection under his feet, but when it says all things are put under subjection under him, it is plain that he has accepted who put all things under him. I tell you this, brethren, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. I tell you a mystery, we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed. For this imperishable nature must be put on the imperishable and this mortal nature must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass a saying that was written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us a victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. This comes from John. Martha was talking to Jesus about Lazarus. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? And this I proclaim to you, the God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands as though he needed anything. since he himself gives all mankind life and breath and everything else. And he made from one man every nation of man to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwellings. that they should seek God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him, yet He's not actually far from each one of us. In Him we live, we move, we have our being. Some of your own poets have said, for we are His offspring. It's the Word of the Lord. So gently lay your head upon my chest, and I will comfort you like a mother while you rest. The tide can change so fast, but I will stay the same through the past, same in the future, same today. peace that shatters all your secret fears. I am holy. I am wise. I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires. Your heart's desires. A weary, tired, and worn. Let out your sighs and drop that heavy load you hold, because mine is light. I know you through and through. There's no need to hide. I want to show you love that is deep and high and wide. Cause I am constant, I am near I am peace that shatters all your secret fears I am holy, I am wise I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires heart's desires. I am constant. I am near. I am peace that shatters all your secret fears. I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires, your heart's desires. Oh, gently lay your head upon my chest, and I will comfort you like a mother while you I don't know who it was that wrote the obituary, but they did an excellent job. I'm glad to be able to read it for us. Graham Bernard Kanabi passed away unexpectedly the morning of February 13th, 2024 at the age of 26. Graham was born on November 26th, 1997 in Glendale, Arizona to Curtis and Mary Kanabi. He was raised in Phoenix with his brother, Miles. Graham graduated from Sandra Day O'Connor High School in 2016 and then attended Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. He pursued a dual major in computer science and philosophy. In both high school and college, Graham played three years of varsity football. He also graduated in the top 1% of his high school class and summa cum laude in college in 2020. Along with these accomplishments, Graham was also involved in choir, fellowship of Christian athletes, the National Honor Society, media productions, track and field, wrestling, coaching, church leadership, and peer tutoring. It was at Northwestern College that Graham met the love of his life, Gemma. In May of 2019, Graham and Gemma traveled together to Greece on a school trip. After spending more time together, they fell in love and were married on August 15th, 2020. Graham accepted a job at Constellation West as a top secret security programmer. After about two years, he accepted a new job at Speedway Motors as a software engineer. On Sundays, Graham and Gemma attended our church, Firth Bible, where they have been members since 2022. During the week, he worked from home on a farm that he and Gemma bought last summer. There were no strangers in Graham's life, just the friends that he hadn't met yet. He loved people, and he loved big. His faith in Jesus was evident to every person who knew him. He lived life as loud and unashamedly as possible, Padawan braid and short shorts included. Every room he entered grew to max capacity from his personality alone. There was simply no avoiding the force that was Graham Canabi. The secret was that no one wanted to avoid him. In fact, Graham was the kind of person everyone wanted as their friend, brother, son, or son-in-law. He was the very best in each role. But his greatest was that of a husband to Gemma. Graham loved her completely, wholeheartedly, and enthusiastically. Every moment, they were together. Graham is survived by his wife, Jemma Knobby, his mother, Mary Knobby, his brother, Miles Knobby, and his wife, Megan, his grandmother, Darlene Van Der Arde, parents-in-law, Christopher and Jo Ferribee, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Thorne Farabee, Dan and Bowden with her husband August, Axel Farabee and Hawken Farabee, along with numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. The memories that we have of Graham are very precious. They are bittersweet. They're sweet that we have such joyful memories, bitter that he is not here to make more of those memories with us throughout the rest of our pilgrimage. But we wanted to share some of those memories with you today with the slideshow that we had before the service and now a short one that we're going to have during the service. Dan? Dan Baddier, a member of our church, and Elise Van Cleve are going to play a duet during the slideshow that is about to happen. you you so so you you At this time, we are going to hear from some of the close friends and family of Graham and the family. Thorne Farabee will be coming first to share about his brother-in-law, then his brother, Miles, and then Josh Torno, and then finally, Professor John Von Der Brugge will be the final, and those who will share with us their memories and a little bit about who we've lost and who we're celebrating. I'm gonna try to get through this with y'all, but I expected to have an extra 60 years to do this, so. joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gratefulness, gentleness, and self-control. And if you've ever washed dishes with my brother-in-law, you'd know that. You'd not only know that, though, but you would know that Graham embodied them. When I first met Graham, I wasn't quite sure what to think of him. There was this big, Padawan-braid-wearing, football-playing, computer-science-philosophy-majoring-college dude from Arizona that had a thing for my sister. But as with almost everyone Graham met, the more you got to know him, the more you got to love him. So when COVID came along and Graham somehow convinced everybody that he should stay at the Farrabee house for six months, I wasn't so upset about sharing my room. And I was elated. when I came in there and rummaged around in my headboard and happened to find, maybe by accident, a ring. I could not have asked for a better brother by choice. Graham fit into my family and our local community faster and better than anyone else that I've ever met. He instantly became a leader, role model, and an all-around favorite of the whole crew. Graham showed the fruit of the Spirit in many ways in his life to those around him. Love. 1 Corinthians 13, 1 through 3 says, and yet I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, I can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge. And if I have faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and I give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but I do not have love, I gain nothing. After Grandma passed, when the doctor said that he appeared to have an enlarged heart, I told him, I could have told you that. Joy. Grandma had joy within him, until it flowed out and filled those around him. For who of us can't remember the big laugh of our great friend? Psalms 118, 24 says, this is a day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Graham lived every day with that joy. When it comes to peace, Graham was the man. Matthew 5, 9 proclaims that blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God. Anytime there's been an argument in my family or within my brother's or within his, grandma's always the first one to step in and offer a fair and peaceful resolution. He will surely be called a son of God. Patience. Patience is not doing nothing. Patience is allowing an investment to grow in God's time. Graham chose to have patience instead of an instant gratification. And he was and will be rewarded for his faith. Kindness. Graham was kind. There are many families in here with young children today. I know each of them know this. I don't think I can remember a church service or a local family event Or any time there were children around that Graham wasn't holding one of them, or making silly faces with one of them, or teaching them bad habits. Luke 18, 16 says, let the children come to me. For to enter the kingdom of the Father, you must be like them. Graham certainly took this to heart. Graham exemplified goodness. Graham was good. Graham was good to every person he ever met. As my father said, I've never had a crossword with that man. He was simply good. Gratefulness. He was grateful. Grateful for his loving wife, Gemma. For the life that God had given him, and for every second of time, the good Lord blessed him with. Gentleness. For such a fellow of stature, the big man could be exceedingly gentle. Whether he was holding Gemma or explaining a math problem to my little brothers, Or fixing a computer issue for my mom. Or just caring for his animals. Graham could be gentle. Self-control. Proverbs 16.32 says, better is a man who can control his spirit than a man who can tear down the walls of cities and fortresses. Graham had control over his spirit. and the discipline to direct it for God's will. He knew when it was time to be serious, and maybe more importantly, He knew when it was time to make us laugh. The Bible says, each will reap what he sows, and each will sit under his fig tree. I believe that. And I believe that Graham has a great harvest above. Till we see him again. Rest easy, big man. Hello, my name is Myles Kanabi, and I am the older brother of Graham. Thank you all for being here today. I would have never expected to be up here reading a eulogy from my brother. His death came as a shock to us all, and it will take quite some time for me to come to terms with everything. Losing my father was painful for myself and my brother in 2022. But losing my brother is a whole new type of pain that I was not prepared for. I always thought that it would be him and I to the end, getting old, having families. I was naive in assuming that he would always be there for me to fall back on. Luckily, I am so fortunate to have spent a good amount of time together with him and our family, especially throughout COVID, 2022, 2023, along with having a great weekend of fun where him and Gemma flew out to Arizona for the beginning of January. He had talked about all his new ideas for the farm and his plans for the future. I'll make sure to hold on to those happy memories and moments we had and to continue to celebrate him and the memories we got together, some of which I would like to share today. Childhood with Graham was always interesting. I remember so many different activities we did together from coordinated things like gymnastics, taekwondo, breakdancing, and long road trips where we were stuck next to each other in a car for like eight hours a day. We did the typical everyday things like being young boys, playing with toys and action figures, being out in the backyard, climbing trees, digging in the mud, and eventually leading us into playing video games together and getting matching laptops to game at the same time. We had a few key moments we held on to. One of them, I gently tossed a basketball at his head at an early age and he would never let me forget it. He almost became a hot tub sacrifice at the age of like two in Cornville, Arizona. Luckily I called my dad to get him out of the hot tub. And we also learned how to keep a secret for the first time after my father spun out trying to show off to us in his new car. What happens in the Trans Am stays in the Trans Am is what we learned. Graham always wanted to hang out together as kids, even though I would kind of need my personal space at times. To keep himself busy, he had the wildest imagination and sense of optimism, always thinking of cool things to research, design, build, and talk about in any scenario. My father gave him the catchphrase, you never know, because Graham always thought there was a way to make his ideas happen. Looking back, we spent a lot of time together before branching into our separate areas. Mine was music and band, while Graham's was football and computer science, eventually leading him to farming. He was always supportive of me, and we stayed close throughout the years. Even though we didn't text or call much, we had a close bond, usually in the form of a very tight bear hug that he would come and lift me into the air and squeeze me as hard as he could. Those were awesome. As adults, we had great times together during our visits to Orange City, Arizona, Mexico, and Nebraska, along with various other trips and weddings we attended. He was the best at getting people onto the dance floor at parties and getting them to loosen up a little bit during those line dances he would do. We took him out to the downtown ASU area in Arizona for his 21st birthday, and I learned that I could not keep up with his pace with my size. I was reminded again when his big lineman buddies came out and showed me up again in another outing, but we had really good fun. I enjoyed his stories he would tell me of meeting people in college over at Northwestern and describing their reactions when they found out that he was the brother of the Miles Kanabi from DCI and WGI. But today, I want to express my appreciation to be the brother of the Graham Kanabi. A quality man whose gentle heart and larger-than-life personality shine through his big, burly nature. His life should be celebrated in every way. Graham was a great man and the best brother I could have asked for. Sorry, I'm gonna keep going. Now, Graham and I have always been considerably different. Sometimes exactly the same, but for the most part, different. Almost as if we were two parallel lines running alongside each other or on the opposite sides of the same coin. I'm very quiet and reserved. I keep to myself and do not try to pull attention or I don't want to make a scene or anything like that. But for Graham, every minute of every second was another opportunity for a new scene. B-M-O-C, or Big Man on Campus, everyone would call him, and you could hear his bellowing voice from three blocks down or something like that. I couldn't understand how he wanted all that attention at times, but now looking back, I understand that he was just looking to make memories with others around him. Graham wasn't much of a city boy from what I saw. He always loved the idea of moving to the Midwest, going to the same college his parents went to, and creating new memories and experiences of his own. Graham fell in love with the Midwest during college, and I think it's mainly because of the people that he met. He loved to take time to get to know whoever was around him, just acknowledging others' presences. Others' presence around you in public can be a little bit taboo in today's big city world, and Graham was unashamed to have a conversation with anyone in front, behind, to the side, above, or far away from him. He would even come to you. It's hard to explain, but being Graham is what made Graham, Graham. And that is exactly what everyone loved the most about him. His unapologetic nature to be himself, the biggest, nicest, friendliest, and loudest guy in every room. I'm so thankful for the time that my family and I got to spend with Graham and his wife, Gemma. We had only heard about this girl from his college class a few times. They went on a Greece trip together. He had been introduced to their family. He helped on their farm a lot. He told us about their brothers who have, I quote, big feet. And he even went to her sister's basketball games for a few times. But overall, we all understood that he was really trying to be a part of her life. Like most of you know, after a summer trip up to our family cabin and proposing to my wife, Megan, we had the pleasure of being introduced to Gemma and her family. Plus or minus like five, I don't remember, I couldn't tell. They prepared one of the most delightful steak dinners and it was a wonderful evening of sharing our feelings through this icebreaker called Two Goods and One Bad. We got the true Farrabee hospitality. It was great, but all the while, I watched Gemma hardly interact with Graham whatsoever. During later conversation that night, I apparently visibly choked on my food, as Mama Jo needed to clarify that Gemma was in fact not dating my brother. They were just friends. So originally I thought, does this girl actually like him? but in every other interaction with her and her family throughout the years. There isn't a shadow of a doubt that this was Graham's family, this was his home, and Gemma was the love of his life. I'm devastated to lose my brother, but I'm comforted in knowing that I have my therapy brothers and sisters to connect with. Gemma, you were perfect for Graham. Megan and I had so many hopes and dreams to come up and spend time with the Gremlins. We are so sad to have lost that opportunity, but we will always consider you part of our family. I personally want to say thank you for loving my brother the way you did. Graham was in the process of living his best life, and I was so excited to see him live out his dream of being a farmer, a husband, and a father. I'm crushed to see that taken away from him and Gemma, but I'm resolved in knowing that he did get to truly experience life the way he wanted to. Myself and many others will never be able to fill the sizably large void that Graham Cannabi will leave behind. But he made sure to leave us with enough memories to fill the entire room, and then some. Thanks for being you, Grammy Hammy. Love you. Hello. For those who do not know me, my name is Josh Torno, and I am here today to mourn the loss and to remember and celebrate the life of a teammate, roommate, dear friend, and brother in Christ. Graham was a man I will forever remember for being unapologetically himself. He loved God, he loved his wife, he loved his family, and he loved his friends so well When I think of Graham, it's easy to remember the goofiness, the bigger-than-life personality. Those could be seen or heard by anyone that passed by. The part of Graham I want to share specifically about today was the strength, boldness, and fortitude he displayed in the way he lived his life. Graham was a firm foundation, the rock on which those around him could depend and look up to. Graham was a faithful man, unwavering when it came to the things that mattered the most to him. Looking back, I see this faithfulness and fortitude in the little things. As his teammate at Northwestern, Graham led our offensive line group in prayer before every game we played together, without anyone having to ask him to do so. His words were reverent, God-fearing, and bold in the name of the faith he professed. As my peer and classmate, to my knowledge, Graham attended every chapel service the Northwestern offered over the course of our four years there. Not just the minimum, not most, but all of them, simply out of the principle of the matter. He sat up front, three pews back on the right side of the chapel down the middle aisle. His consistency was a light that drew others in, including myself. Although I can't say I ever heard the actual reason why it was so important to him, he attended each and every service, I was glad to know he would be there. I know his presence was assuring in that when I attended, I always knew there was a place where I could go to sit and be welcomed by a friendly, familiar face that I could worship our God with together. As my friend and teammate Graham showed me through his example, it was okay to be bold and own the path you choose. Graham never let anyone dictate to him, and not for my lack of trying, the way he would present or share his thoughts or ideas to the world. Over the years, he and I shared ideas about life, the world's problems, and our different fascinations. We also shared similar appearances, and that more often than I would have cared to hear, led to us being asked if we were brothers, related, or simply mistaken for each other, despite what I thought was a rather distinguishing rat tail. In the years I knew him, he was a cheetah print robe wearing PC gamer. The Padawan braid donning Kenobi kid, don't ask about the pronunciation, from Arizona. Northwestern's lone philosophy major. The track thrower with red chili pepper short shorts that revealed a bit too much. The outspoken cafeteria breakfast consumer who announced his arrival to Diane every time he entered the building. And in the most recent years, the overall wearing, hardworking, compound life loving Graham, who was admired by the community he had joined as he moved to Nebraska, bought a farm and started a life he loved with his beloved bride. In any of the phases, in any area of life he ventured, he owned what he was doing. He dove head first and never looked back. This is most notable to me in his pursuit of Gemma. Gemma, I can't say it enough, you were and are everything to Graham. You were his greatest joy and your love for each other was so apparent to anyone you came in contact with. Despite my assessment of his chances with you being slim when he first mentioned his interest, Graham pursued and won your heart through your shared adventures in Greece and beyond. He worked to make you feel loved in whatever he did. Nothing could have deterred him from making you his wife and loving you well in the moments since I got to stand by his side as he made his lifelong commitment to you in August of 2020. Graham, although we were not truly brothers, I consider it to have been a privilege to have known, befriended, and yes, even be mistaken for you. You were like a brother to me. I have no doubt and find great joy in imagining that when I arrive at Heaven's Gates, much like that chapel scene I so often encountered at Northwestern, you'll be saving spots up front, down the middle aisle, for those you loved here during your time on Earth. I can't wait to join you there. Rest in peace, my friend. Your memory lives on in the hearts and minds of those you loved and those who had the privilege of loving you. It's hard to go last. All the good stories have been taken. All the good jokes have been told. It took me the better part of two years to remember his name. Not his last name, just the first name. And that's because he came into my class his first day of college First college class I think he ever attended, this hulking mountain of a freshman in the hot pink short shorts, which were an assault to the eyes. And that ridiculous rat tail, the Padawan braid, as he insisted on calling it, even though his hair was otherwise closely cropped. He'd been working on it for years. And he wedged himself into a desk. And I say wedged. One of those traditional desks where the chair and the desk are all one piece. He wedged himself in, not in the back row where 98% of the football players that I've ever taught have sat. I think including some of the guys that are here. But front row center. And as the chair creaked, he said loudly, good morning, professor. I said, good morning. It's good to have you here. And as is my custom, I went around the room. I take the first day, the better part of an hour, just going through attendance, because I want to get to know my students a little bit. When I got to his name, I looked down at my list, and my eyes got big, and I said, wait a minute, is your name pronounced Kenobi? I'm a big Star Wars fan. And he said, it's pronounced Kenobi, but you can call me Obi-Wan. I said, done. I scratched out his name, and from that point on, I called him Obi-Wan. That's the only thing I ever called him. Every Tuesday and Thursday morning, the volume, the largeness, the blustering, boisterous, bulky bravado would come in and sit down in the front row of my classroom and greet me. And I admit, I could not help but like the guy. But professor to student, you kind of wonder, what's underneath all the bravado? Sometimes with people like that, It's hiding something. It's perhaps masking a character flaw, some sort of weakness or deficiency or maybe just emptiness. I couldn't help but wonder, what's underneath all the bravado? It was a few months later, after that class was over, that I got my answer. One Saturday morning, I was driving through Orange City, and I pulled over to get some gas at the Sinclair Station, and right next to the Sinclair Station is a Hardee's. And I looked in, and there he was, one-on-one with his grandmother, having breakfast when the rest of Northwestern College was sleeping, in rapt conversation, smiling as big as ever. And my thoughts went back, I didn't know at first what to think or who this other person was, but my thoughts went back to what I knew about him from Arizona. But wait, there's family in the area. A grandmother, yes. That was when I said, kid, you won me over. The bravado, it wasn't, it was masking something. Not deliberately obfuscating. But it was masking something. It wasn't masking, however, A character flaw. She's masking character. Noble, good, deep, sincere, genuine character. Mary, Kurt, you've done well. What you didn't finish, Gemma did. It was a privilege to get to know this young man who started calling me professor and moved on to VB, then Vandy, and then just John. I always called him Obi-Wan. As we all remember him this morning, I'm reminded of some of my favorite words from Psalm 116, slightly paraphrased. His little ones and his very big ones are precious to him. And he does not lightly let them die. I hope I don't offend in being true to the man when I say this. Tonight, when I get home, when the day is done, I will raise a glass of the good stuff, the stuff that he brought to my house, the stuff that we opened together, the stuff that we had in time planned to finish together. And I'll lift that glass, not so much in his honor, but in thankfulness to the God who gave him to us, to the process of discovery, that journey that he was. Obi-Wan. Graham. I'll meet you at the end, my friend. Meet you at the end. On behalf of all of us gathered here, I'd like to thank each one that has spoken before us today. For those of us who were listening and could wish that we had an opportunity to have gotten to know this young man better, myself included, you will. If you're in Christ, you will. I invite you at this time to stand. With words that are taken from the Book of Lamentations in chapter 3, verses 22 and 23, we're going to sing a congregational hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness. The words are here on the screen. Let us sing together. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father! There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not. As Thou hast been thou forever wilt be. Great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed thy hand hath provided, Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, sun, moon, and stars in their courses above, Join with all nature in manifold witness To thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love. Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide. Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside. Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me. Thank you for your singing. You may be seated. That did feel good to sing that together. I'm so glad for what we've already heard today about the life of Graham, and there's so much more to hear. That's why you all are here. After our service, we're going to be having a reception just out the doors, down this hallway. We want everyone to be able to stay for that. It's going to be tight in there in the reception hall, but that's okay. and have that opportunity for each one of you to share what the time that you had with Graham was like. And I'd like to hear that. Well, I think from what we've heard, we can agree that in 26 years, Graham was able to live more life than many do in 50 or 75. Amen. Death is an enemy. We sang about it. Well, we didn't sing about it. We read about it in our scripture reading. The last enemy that is going to be defeated is death. Death has come too often in the Kenobi family in the last few years. This one is the hardest. God will give you years of peace and comfort to be able to heal from this. Death is always an enemy. But we don't hate that enemy anymore than we do today. It's okay to feel grief. It's okay to express grief. It's okay to feel anger. It's okay to express anger. It's okay to feel like you've been robbed of what you thought was yours. But as a pastor, as a minister of God's word, it's my duty and my privilege to shepherd you in how to feel, how to direct those emotions, especially that anger. Be angry, but don't sin. That's what the scripture says. I'll remind you that God is the source of life. And while he is sovereign over the day of our death, make no mistake about that. While he could have prevented this tragedy, he has all power. Make no mistake about that. Do not be angry at God. Do not allow your anger to draw you away from God. That's what our enemy wants. He's the one who deceived us. He's the one who brought death into the world. He's the one who wants to take us with him. Resist the temptation to become bitter in your heart against the Almighty. Draw near to him and he will draw near to you. Look to his promise. Look to his word. It is a light that is shining in a dark place. Look to his son, Jesus Christ. He is the one who has experienced sorrow. He is the one who has experienced an untimely death. He is the one who saw a 12-year-old girl lying dead on her bed. with all the household weeping. And he's the one that went up to her and said, little girl, I say to you, arise. I believe that. As sure as you are standing here today, Jesus Christ walked on this earth and he raised the dead. And he died for our sins. His mother knew the grief. A sword pierced her heart. But he didn't stay dead. The gospel is not just about the cross that is behind me. The gospel is about the empty tomb. You read through the book of Acts and read about the preaching of the apostles. And what they talked about the most, what they spent the most time preaching and the sharing of the good news is that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. We're not too far off from Easter. Getting close to 2,000 years of celebrating what happened outside of Jerusalem in history. Graham put his faith in the one who died on the cross. Graham grew up in church, born in a reformed church, baptized as a baby. He was a man who liked, well, he was a boy, who liked to respond to altar calls. Graham shared his testimony with us at our church a couple years ago when he became a member. February 5th, I sat down with him after church on Sunday and he told us about how the Lord had brought him to salvation. I'd like to share a little bit about how he told his faith story. He said, I found Christ a dozen times. He was baptized as a believer in junior high, but all throughout his junior high and high school years, he was still kind of riding the coattails of his parents' faith. And it wasn't until his college years that he really grew tremendously into a man of God who was standing on his own faith. He developed a deep interest in the intellectual and philosophical side of the faith, grappling with concepts like election and predestination. But Graham loved to minister to the body of Christ through encouragement and exhortation, through personal conversation, And Graham became an official worship leader in our church last year. His first time leading worship in Firth Bible Church, 20 miles south of Lincoln here, was on February 11th. Oh no, that's not the right date. It was in September of last year was his first time leading worship. And I have a recording of that service that I'm going to be sending to the family. And anyone else who would like it, just send me an email. I'll be happy to send you that. In order to become a worship leader in our church, we want you to be deacon qualified. And so Gemma and Graham filled out the deacon evaluation form. And so all of our church elders got to see the character of Graham by the testimony of his wife and have confirmed to us everything that we suspected just from seeing him in church. An honest man, a forthright man, a great listener, knew how to joke and he knew when not to. Generous and humble, forgiving and slow to anger, devoted to his wife, hospitable, one of his greatest strengths. And he was looking forward to showing hospitality to many more of us and bringing us closer into his circle here in Nebraska. But because Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, As we heard earlier, Graham will be there to greet us. He'll be there to meet us for everyone who is in Christ. And he'll get that opportunity to welcome us into the place that Jesus Christ went to prepare for him. Graham was proud of the place that he had bought, that he was preparing for his life together with Gemma and was looking forward to showing it to more and more people. It's amazing how you can have this idea of your life, you can think you can know what's gonna happen, and then it can just change in a moment. This is the painful lesson that death has taught us that many of us who are young and many of us who are not so young have never had it taught to us in this way. We live in a time and a place where there's so much safety and there's so much good health care and so much that can be done to preserve life. It's very rare for this type of thing to happen. But this is the world we live in. When Graham was leading our worship, he had a few words that I wanted to share with you. After singing a shelter in the time of storm, singing about how Jesus is a rock in a weary land, Graham said this, if we trust in the Lord and hold fast to his foundation, even in the times of troubles, the scariest that this world brings, because it is a crazy world we live in, we can hold fast and know that he is Lord. Those are Graham's words, and I'd like us all to say amen. All of God's people said amen. Why did the Lord take Graham away from us? But don't look to me or to any man living to answer that question. God keeps his own counsel on such matters. But there is one why question that God has sent me here to tell you today. and that is why you can still trust God. The hope that is laid out before us is not a maybe hope, not a hope so hope, it's not a wishful thinking hope, but it's a sure hope. You can still trust God, because God has a plan. It's hard for us who were born yesterday and are here for just a moment and then are gone to be able to see things from an eternal perspective, but God does. Because God sees things from an eternal perspective, his plans are often very different from the way that we would plan things. God is the only one who has power. God is the only one who has wisdom to bring loved ones back together. God is the only one who has and who will defeat the enemy of death. You can trust him because Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. That simple fact changes everything if you believe it. I'd like to read to you from Philippians chapter one, starting in verse 21. The Apostle Paul had great insight, great faith, when he said, to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. He continues, if I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. It would have been better for us if Graham could have fruitful labor among us. If we could sing with him, if we could dance with him, if we could joke with him and laugh with him, if we could read scripture with him, if we could pray with him, that would have been good. But because we love Graham as much as we miss him, we are glad for his sake that he is with the Lord Jesus who is the best of any of us. He loved Jesus. And Jesus loved him. And they still do. Can you see it? Can't see it with your eyes, you have to see it with faith. I'd also like to share with you a passage from 1 Thessalonians chapter four. The Apostle Paul, writing again, he says, we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep. Asleep is the biblical language that Jesus taught us to refer to the death of a believer. Believers don't die because they have eternal life. Eternal life is eternal. You don't lose it. That's why Jesus, when talking about Lazarus, said he's fallen asleep. The disciples picked up on that, they learned. Believers don't die, the body sleeps. Spirit doesn't sleep, the body sleeps. The spirit is conscious with the Lord. Paul writes this, I do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. The dead in Christ will rise first. Then, we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. Well, a great preacher said, when you're done, stop. And I'm done. But we're not done, because as a worship leader in our church, I wanted to give Graham the opportunity, through the memories that are recorded, to lead us in our closing song. So this was handed out in your bulletin. The final song is A Firm Foundation. In a moment, the video will play. I invite you to stand. We'll sing together. And I want you to listen for the words of encouragement that Graham gave to our congregation after leading us in this song that we can hear from him again today. Please stand. Would you be willing to stand as we get into worship today? I think starting off, we're at page 408. Page 408, How Firm a Foundation. A little louder. Open a foundation, ye saints of the Lord. It is made for your faith. In his excellent word, what more can he say than to you he has said? glad. Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, for I am thy God and will still give thee aid. I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand. ♪ When through fiery trials the deathly shall lie ♪ ♪ My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply ♪ ♪ The flame shall not hurt thee I only desire ♪ ♪ Thy drops to consume ♪ and my goal to refine. A soul that on Jesus hath pleaded for repose, I will not, I will not desert to his foes. That soul, though on hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no never, no never forsake. I think one of the most striking lines to me that I caught while singing that was the last verse. Bow your heads with me, please. Father, Like the Lord Jesus Christ. Our desire. Is that we would be with you? Where you are. To see the glory of Jesus Christ. The glory father that you gave to him before the foundation of the world. Righteous father. There are many in this world who do not know you. And I pray that. as the reality of death has struck many of us in the face, that those who do not know you, who have not believed unto salvation, that you might use Graham's life, Graham's testimony, and that of his family and friends to draw those who are lost in darkness and without God and draw them to yourself. Create faith where there has not been faith. And for all who are gathered here who do know you and who do trust you, Lord, strengthen that faith. It is through faith that we can abound in hope. It is through faith that we can persevere in love. and our faith is in you, your person, your promise. We know, Father, that you sent Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ has made you known to us and he continues to make it known so that the love with which you, Father, love the Son may be in us and among us even as we have experienced this week and today. Amen. You may be seated. The ushers are going to come and dismiss one row at a time, starting with the family. As you are dismissed, you'll make your way out the back doors, down the hallway, to the reception area where we have a luncheon prepared. Thank you for being here. God be with you.